The Third Degree Glass Factory is loaded this weekend with everything from quirky t-shirts to handmade jewelry.
Jessi Cerutti is an organizer for the Rock n’ Roll Craft Show and stands in the back of the room while a band tunes up before serenading shoppers.
She says they felt the impact of the sluggish economy for a couple of years, but attendance for the annual event, now in its ninth year, has steadily grown.
“I think it’s because the artwork, the quality increases, more people come out, awareness increases about us, more people come out and there’s more quality stuff, so more of it gets sold,” Cerutti says.
Jeweler Natalie Anne Leroy-Romer says she’s seen a big uptick in the interest level for local art.
“I think that there’s been a big push in the last couple of years, especially,” Leroy-Romer says. “People want to know who made their art, that the money is staying local.”
Out to promote Small Business Saturday, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay stopped by to do some shopping of his own.
“Yesterday a lot of people went to the malls and big box stores and got a lot of great deals on Black Friday,” Slay said. “This is an opportunity to really showcase some of the great businesses that we have in St. Louis. I’m going around visiting some of them and I’m going to buy some stuff for the holidays.”
Slay says 80 percent of jobs in St. Louis are tied to small businesses.
He adds that the city is involved in several projects aimed at promoting small business success, including programs like Arch Grants and the high-tech T-Rex incubator.
